


Ache and Yearn

by Afoolforatook



Series: An Anthology of Affection [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, No Beta, Qrow worries very easily, minor injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24958195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Afoolforatook/pseuds/Afoolforatook
Summary: Qrow finds Clover after a solo mission goes south.He's fine. (really, Qrow it's just a bruised rib or two.)Qrow was expecting something much worse.--------------------------Part 2Saw a post of kissing prompts. Liked a bunch of them. Decided to give myself a daily challenge to get myself actually publishing things while I work on bigger projects.One prompt a day. Under 1500 words (or close to it).
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: An Anthology of Affection [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1805008
Comments: 19
Kudos: 73





	Ache and Yearn

Prompt 2 - A small, fleeting kiss - which is immediately followed by a passionate, hungry kiss.

Ache and Yearn

\-------------------

Qrow sliced through the last grimm and raced to Clover.

He sunk to his knees as he reached his partner’s side, frantically looking him over for injuries. He seemed to be fine, aside from a few small scrapes. He looked exhausted though, and Qrow noticed Kingfisher a few feet from him, not quite broken but far from operational.

Clover laughed tiredly. “Hey, Qrow. Perfect timing… lucky me.” He smiled, wincing at what Qrow expected might be a bruised rib or two.

“Gods, Clover, what happened?!” Qrow tried to steady his voice a little, reaching for his scroll to call for a medical transport.

“I thought you were just out on a supply run, and then suddenly no one's heard from you for hours! You had m- us worried sick.”

“Yeah… things got a little hairy all the sudden and I had to abandon the truck a ways back. Somewhere along the way, I must have dropped my scroll and by the time I realized I… I uh had my hands a bit full.” He paused, wincing again as Qrow helped him sit up in a more comfortable position.

Clover watched Qrow carefully as he finished calling the transport. He noticed his hand shaking slightly. Clover reached for it, ignoring the small jump as he touched Qrow.

“Qrow… Thanks.” Then something hit him. “How’d you even find me?”

Qrow chuckled, though Clover noticed he didn’t pull his hand away. “I uh, I got a better view.” He nodded up, smirking slightly.

“O-oh. Right. Huh. That sure comes in handy sometimes doesn’t it?”

Qrow laughed, but Clover could still see a stiffness, a tightly bound knot of fear, in his shoulders. He squeezed Qrow’s hand gently, even pulling it ever so slightly towards him, urging Qrow to move closer again.

Qrow was still for a moment before he obliged, turning to sit beside his partner, close enough that Clover was able to lean against him lightly, exhaustion clouding his limbs.

He gave one small squeeze back as Clover settled against him.

“You uh… You had me really worried there, Shamrock.”

Clover sighed, his eyes closed as he spoke, all but leaning his head on Qrow’s shoulder.

“Sorry. It really was supposed to be a simple run. They just came out of nowhere. And then the truck crapped out on me and just… I guess I was saving all my luck for you to find me.” He laughed, opening his eyes to look up at Qrow as he joked.

He was surprised to see the hard look on Qrow’s face as he stared out ahead of them, watching the horizon.

Clover sat up, pushing through the throb of pain in his chest. “Qro-”

“What if I hadn’t, though? Or what if I’d gotten here just a few minutes later? What if I was too…” He stopped talking, swallowing harshly and squeezing Clover’s hand, an action Clover wasn’t even sure he was aware of as he did it.

Clover pulled his hand away slowly, raising it to curve gently over the nape of Qrow’s neck.

“But you did, Qrow. You did, and I’m alright. Thank you.” His voice was gentle, cautious.

It wasn’t like Qrow being concerned about him was a surprise. But seeing how much it had affected him was. Seeing how deep his worry ran.

“I should have gone with you. I should have gone out to find you as soon as you didn’t answer your scroll. I should have been…” He was mumbling, his hand going to cover Clover’s on his shoulder, head leaning back and eyes closed.

“Qrow. Qrow, stop!” He cut Qrow off, pulling him gently so he turned to face him.

“Qrow. I’m okay. You didn’t do anything wrong. It was just bad-” Clover cut himself off, seeing Qrow already start to tense. “No. It was just a mistake. A mistake on my part. I should have been more cautious and taken someone with me. I should have noticed my scroll was gone sooner. I should have grabbed a flare from the transport before I left it. I messed up. Me. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

He hesitated, pulling Qrow closer until their temples touched softly.

“Thank you, Qrow. Thank you for coming to find me. I’m sorry I worried you.” He whispered, his hand slowly rubbing circles at the nape of Qrow’s neck, trying to get him to relax.

Qrow sighed, leaning into Clover’s touch. “You… you didn’t answer your scroll. And then again. And again. And I… I thought…” He scrunched his eyes closed, stopping as he heard his own voice crack.

Clover wilted, pulling away just enough to meet Qrow’s eyes.

“Oh, Qrow. I’m… Qrow, look at me, please.” He moved his hand, pulling lightly at Qrow’s chin for him to lift his head again.

He obliged and Clover met his gaze, holding it for a moment, his hand still resting along a scruffy jaw. He pulled his thumb absentmindedly across Qrow’s cheek and started at the shiver the action got. He saw Qrow’s eyes flicker down and then back to meet his eyes.

Clover felt his breath hitch slightly and barely caught Qrow's hand twitch before lifting to cover his own. Clover's pulse jumped, a chill running down his spine. He felt the ache of his ribs fade away, overwhelmed by the single thought now running through his head. His own gaze moved quickly to Qrow’s lips and then back to his eyes, looking for every sign, trying to understand every emotion on the face before him.

There was that familiar spark, a flicker in that deep rust; the look he had every time he blushed at Clover’s not so subtle flirting. And the overwhelming blaze whenever he came back with a teasing quip.

But he also saw that hesitation, that doubt, that mile-a-minute worry looking for every possible poor outcome.

He ran his thumb across Qrow’s face again, smiling softly as he moved to close the space between them.

“Clo-”

Clover caught his own name midway from Qrow’s lips, pressing it back with the slightest gentle brush of a kiss before pulling back and waiting for Qrow’s reaction.

“Thank you, Qr-”

And now Clover was cut off, as Qrow surged forward, hand flying to cup under his ear, pulling the younger man back to him.

Clover grinned, laughing against Qrow’s lips as he followed his pull. His hand slipped down to smooth over his collar as he closed his eyes, focusing on the warm shakiness of Qrow’s breath against his lips.

There was an urgency, a still slightly panicked need in Qrow’s movements. Clover lifted his free hand to cover Qrow’s, which had now moved to thread through the hair at the nape of his neck.

A part of him wanted to soothe Qrow; reassure him that there was no rush, no danger. But, at the same time, Clover recognized a similar desperation bubbling in his own chest. A dormant yearning that was suddenly overpowering.

His fingers curled around Qrow’s collar, pulling him closer by the base of his neck. A fuzzy warmth spread through him as he heard, felt, the pleased chuckle that elicited from his partner.

He moved to sit up further, right as Qrow’s free hand started to snake around his side, resting at the curve of his back.

And then a sharp pain shot through him, pulling a gritted intake of breath from him, along with a frustratingly noticeable wince.

Clover cursed his damn ribs as Qrow’s warmth immediately disappeared.

“Shit! Sorry! Are you-” Qrow’s voice was heavy, caught between blissful urgency and sudden restraint.

His eyes were wide and Clover could see his pupils quickly contracting, that beautiful rust flitting over him with concern.

He sighed and grimaced as he adjusted himself again, leaning back against the wall behind them. He smiled over at Qrow, raising his hand and threading his fingers carefully through the smokey gray strands of hair behind his ear.

“I’m fine.”

He moved to pull Qrow close again, eyes dropping to his lips. Qrow just rolled his eyes, pulling Clover’s hand away but lacing their fingers gently as he settled beside him again.

“I think we’d better call a rain check there, Cloves.”

Clover sighed and gave a small mocking pout but followed his lead, leaning against him, his thumb pulling lazily over the back of Qrow’s hand.

“Fine. But I’m holding you to that.”

The vibration of Qrow’s laugh soothed what little ache of pain Clover still felt.

“Wouldn’t want it any other way.”

**Author's Note:**

> Where are they??? What exactly happened that got Clover hurt??? Does the lead up to this actually make sense??? Who knows.  
> \----------  
> There were 50 prompts originally, but I've already thought of a few more. Also had multiple ideas for a few, which is why some might be listed as chapter 1, with a future version of the prompt coming later.
> 
> Might not end up sticking strictly to the daily thing, but I'll do my best. Either way, here's an ongoing series of little moments.
> 
> Original prompt list - https://kashimalin-fanfiction.tumblr.com/post/178524845380/50-types-of-kisses-writing-prompts
> 
> Might edit here and there later, but the goal here was to just finish something, even if it's not perfectly polished.


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